WBEN Commentary & Opinion

Round One to Romney

by Tim Wenger,posted Oct 4 2012 10:24AM

It seems there is no disagreement that Mitt Romney commanded the first Presidential Debate. But it's only round one. As Bauerle has pointed out on the air, the Bills were winning going into halftime Sunday and we know what happened after that. Romney needs to keep up the pace and hit Obama where he's weak.

There were so many moments during the debate that were memorable. The Big Bird reference and getting the President to actually embrace the term "Obamacare" come to mind. But the best part of the debate, for me, was when it was over and all the pundits who clearly lean to the left had to admit that Romney ruled the night.

On NBC, Brian Williams asked David Gregory, "what happened to the President"? Williams also asked Savannah Guthrie the same. What about asking them about Romney's performance? Williams and so many other "newsheads" on tv and cable were stunned that Romney could 'take' the President in a debate. For four years now we've heard Obama is the "teleprompter" President. Well, now we know it's true. He just can't think on his feet.

And Jim Lehrer as moderator? Really? They couldn't find someone older? Where is Buffalo's Tim Russert when you need him. He was sorely missed last night.

Perhaps the absolute best post debate commentary came from MSNBC's Rachel Maddow and Chris Matthews. "How could this happen"? "What happened to the President"? Matthews actually said to Maddow, "this wasn't an MSNBC debate"! It was a moment to savor so I'll share it with you here.

My my Romney lies reflexively. The death panels. The 716 billion canard. The notion that he won't give the country away to the one percent and destroy the middle class. The notion that 3 out of 33 energy companies going bankrupt is somehow "half".